The mob that hails the man on horseback, the Caesars and conquering heroes, does not retain its freedoms for long.
Interpretation
Historical admiration often leads to the loss of individual freedoms.
Sidney Hook suggests that societies that glorify and idolize powerful leaders or heroes, such as conquerors, may inadvertently sacrifice their freedoms. This reflects a cautionary stance on the dangers of hero worship and authoritarianism, emphasizing that the allure of strong figures can lead to oppression rather than liberty.
In practice
During a discussion about historical leaders, one might reference this quote to highlight the risks of authoritarianism.
A liberal education will impart an awareness of the amazing and precious complexity of human relationships. Since those relationships are violated more often out of insensitiveness than out of deliberate intent, whatever increases sensitiveness of perception and understanding humanizes life.
Everyone recognizes a distinction between knowledge and wisdom. . . Wisdom is a kind of knowledge. It is knowledge of the nature, career, and consequences of human values. Since these cannot be separated from the human organism and the social scene, the moral ways of man cannot be understood without knowledge of the ways of things and institutions.
In contrast to totalitarianism, democracy can face and live with the truth about itself.
Tolerance always has limits - it cannot tolerate what is itself actively intolerant.
Idealism, alas, does not protect one from ignorance, dogmatism, and foolishness.
The easiest rationalization for the refusal to seek the truth is the denial that truth exists.
It is important to look at death because it is a part of life. It is a sad thing, melancholy but romantic at the same time. It is the end of a cycle - everything has to end. The cycle of life is positive because it gives room for new things.
Since 1945, no one in the U.S. military has liked the end result of the military conflicts we've been in: Vietnam, Korea, certainly Iraq, and probably Afghanistan. But in a democracy, you salute.
Awareness isnβt something we own; awareness isnβt something we possess. Awareness is actually what we are.
Repentance will not make you see Christ; but to see Christ will give you repentance.
That is why Christians are told not to judge. We see only the results which a man's choices make out of his raw material. But God does not judge him on the raw material at all, but on what he has done with it.
As for oblivion, well, we can wait a little while for that.
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